The Fisherman and the Jinni

In the days when magic still flowed through the world like water through a riverbed, there lived a poor fisherman on the shores of the Arabian Sea. Each day, without fail, he would cast his net into the azure waters, hoping to catch enough fish to feed his family and perhaps earn a few coins at the market.

The fisherman was a devout man who had learned patience through years of struggle. He had a rule: he would cast his net exactly four times each day, no more, no less, accepting whatever fortune Allah might provide.

One morning, as the sun painted the sky in shades of gold and pink, the fisherman made his way to his usual spot on the beach. He offered his morning prayers and cast his net for the first time.

When he pulled it in, instead of fish, he found it heavy with mud, seaweed, and debris. “There is wisdom in all things,” he said to himself, cleaning his net carefully.

He cast his net a second time. Again, no fish - only an old, broken pottery jar and some worthless shells. The fisherman sighed but remained patient.

The third cast brought him a collection of bones, rotten fish, and refuse. By now, his stomach was growling, and he worried about returning home empty-handed once again. But he had learned long ago that despair helps no one.

“One more cast,” he said aloud. “If it is Allah’s will, I shall have fish. If not, I shall find another way.”

He threw his net with all his strength for the fourth and final time. When he began to pull it in, he felt a tremendous weight. His heart leaped with hope - surely this meant a great catch!

But when the net emerged from the water, instead of silver fish, he saw a large, ancient bottle made of yellow brass. It was sealed with lead and marked with the seal of our master Solomon, son of David (peace be upon them both).

The fisherman examined the bottle curiously. It was beautiful, despite its age, with intricate engravings covering its surface. “This might be worth something at the market,” he thought. “Perhaps I can sell it to buy food for my family.”

He tried to shake the bottle to see if anything was inside, but it was too heavy. Using his knife, he carefully pried off the lead seal.

The moment the seal broke, a thick, dark smoke began pouring from the bottle. The smoke rose high into the air, forming a column that reached the clouds. Then, before the fisherman’s terrified eyes, the smoke began to take shape.

First appeared two massive legs, then a torso as wide as a ship’s mast, then enormous arms and hands, and finally a head so large it could have housed a family. The creature’s eyes blazed like fire, its teeth were like sword blades, and its voice, when it spoke, was like thunder rolling across the mountains.

“There is no god but Allah, and Solomon is His prophet!” roared the jinni, for that is what the creature was. “O Solomon, forgive me! I will never again disobey your commands!”

The poor fisherman was so frightened he could barely speak, but he managed to stammer, “O mighty jinni, Solomon has been dead for over a thousand years! How do you not know this?”

The jinni looked down at the trembling fisherman with surprise, then threw back his enormous head and laughed - a sound like boulders crashing down a mountainside.

“A thousand years, you say? Then Solomon is indeed dead, and I am free at last!” The jinni’s expression suddenly turned menacing. “But you, little man, must die.”

“Die?” cried the fisherman. “But I freed you! Surely you should reward me, not kill me!”

“Let me tell you my story,” said the jinni, “and you will understand why I must kill you.”

“I am one of the rebellious jinn who disobeyed Solomon. When he captured me, he gave me a choice: submit to his will or be imprisoned. In my pride, I chose imprisonment, thinking it would be temporary.

“For the first hundred years, I said, ‘Whoever frees me, I will make him rich forever.’

“For the second hundred years, I said, ‘Whoever frees me, I will show him all the treasures of the earth.’

“For the third hundred years, I said, ‘Whoever frees me, I will grant him three wishes.’

“But no one came. For the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh hundred years, my anger grew. Finally, I swore: ‘Whoever frees me now, I will kill, but I will allow him to choose the manner of his death.’

“So tell me, fisherman, how would you like to die?”

The fisherman’s mind raced. He knew he could not overpower the jinni, but perhaps he could outwit him.

“O mighty jinni,” said the fisherman, “before I choose my death, may I ask you one question?”

“Ask quickly,” replied the jinni impatiently.

“I can see that you are enormous and powerful, but I find it hard to believe that someone as large as you could ever fit inside that small bottle. Are you sure you really came from there?”

The jinni’s pride was stung. “You doubt my word? I am the great Sakhr al-Jinni! Of course I came from that bottle!”

“Forgive me,” said the fisherman humbly, “but it seems impossible. The bottle is so small, and you are so magnificently large. Could you perhaps show me how you fit inside? I would die happier knowing I had witnessed such a miracle.”

“You foolish human!” laughed the jinni. “Watch and learn!”

Immediately, the jinni began to dissolve back into smoke. The smoke swirled and condensed, flowing back into the bottle until every wisp had disappeared inside.

The moment the last of the smoke entered the bottle, the clever fisherman quickly replaced the lead seal and pressed it tight.

“Now, O jinni,” called the fisherman, “how would YOU like to die? Or shall I throw you back into the sea for another thousand years?”

From inside the bottle came muffled roars and curses. “Free me, you dog! Free me, and I will make you rich!”

“Never!” replied the fisherman. “You promised to kill me for freeing you. Now you will stay trapped until I find someone else to deal with you, or until the sea claims you again.”

“Wait!” cried the jinni, his voice desperate. “I spoke in anger! Free me, and I swear by Allah that I will not harm you. Instead, I will reward you greatly!”

The fisherman considered this. He was, by nature, a merciful man, but he was not foolish.

“How do I know you will keep your word this time? You have already broken one promise.”

“I swear by the Most High,” said the jinni solemnly, “that if you free me, I will grant you wealth and never harm you. A jinni cannot break an oath sworn by Allah’s name.”

After much thought, the fisherman decided to trust in the jinni’s oath. He broke the seal once more.

Again, the smoke poured out and formed into the giant jinni. But this time, instead of threatening the fisherman, the jinni smiled.

“You are indeed wise, O fisherman. Your cleverness has saved your life and earned my respect. Come, follow me, and I will show you how I will reward you.”

The jinni led the fisherman away from the sea to a mountain lake surrounded by four hills. The water was crystal clear, and in it swam fish of four different colors: white, red, blue, and yellow.

“Cast your net here,” said the jinni, “but catch only one fish each day. Sell it in the city, and you will receive more gold than you have ever dreamed of. But remember - only one fish per day, and never ask about the nature of these fish.”

Before the fisherman could ask any questions, the jinni struck the ground with his foot, and the earth opened up and swallowed him.

The fisherman cast his net and caught one magnificent red fish. He took it to the city market, where a merchant immediately offered him one hundred gold pieces for it - more money than the fisherman had seen in his entire life.

Every day thereafter, the fisherman returned to the magic lake and caught one fish. Each fish brought him one hundred gold pieces, and soon he was no longer a poor man, but wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.

He built a beautiful house for his family, bought the finest clothes, and enjoyed the best food. But he never forgot the lesson the jinni had taught him: that wisdom and cleverness are more powerful than strength, and that mercy, even to one’s enemies, can bring unexpected rewards.

And though many people asked him about the source of his wonderful fish, the fisherman kept the jinni’s secret, for he knew that some mysteries are best left unexplained.

Moral: Intelligence and quick thinking can overcome even the greatest physical power. Mercy and wisdom often bring greater rewards than revenge, and sometimes the greatest treasure is knowing when to keep a secret.